Confirm what is still outstanding
As you approach the expected end, ask for a summary of contributions and any other obligations. Check that the trustee has the documents needed to assess compliance.
A payment schedule may be finished while an asset issue, information request or administrative step remains unresolved. Ask for a clear account rather than assuming silence means completion.
Your discharge
Discharge is conditional on meeting the obligations and cooperating with administration. The trustee applies through the formal process when satisfied that discharge is appropriate.
Ask for written confirmation of the effective date. Keep it in a safe place with the original proposal and any later variations.
What is released—and what is not
Discharge releases qualifying liabilities within the arrangement, subject to statutory exceptions. It does not clear new debts arising after the trust deed was granted or turn an excluded liability into a covered debt.
If a balance is unclear, ask the trustee to explain the particular account. Read which debts can be included for the main distinctions.
The trustee’s discharge is separate
The trustee may still need to finish administration, realise relevant assets or distribute funds. Do not assume your own discharge means every asset has automatically returned to your control.
If you expect a payment, inheritance or sale, check the position before dealing with it. The windfalls guide explains what details to provide.
Check the records
Use the formal confirmation to check the Register of Insolvencies and your credit records. The two systems have different purposes and timelines.
Raise factual errors with the organisation responsible, using the discharge evidence. Be wary of promises to remove accurate records immediately.
If a creditor writes afterwards
Keep the correspondence and compare the account against the arrangement. Ask the trustee whether the debt was covered and send the discharge evidence through a verified channel if needed.
Do not ignore court documents, even if you believe the debt was discharged. Obtain advice promptly so that a deadline is not missed while the position is being clarified.
Your completion file
Keep the signed proposal, variations, payment record, asset agreement and discharge confirmation together. This gives you a reliable basis for answering later questions without relying on memory or an old advertisement.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked for this guide on 6 September 2026. Follow the original guidance for full detail.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 where indicated by the source. No government endorsement is implied.